WASHINGTON — After mounting Congressional pressure, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday[1] he would return furloughed military civilian personnel to work Monday even though the federal government is still in partial shutdown.

Colorado GOP Reps. Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn wrote letters[2] to Hagel earlier this week after combined furloughs in their respective districts reached almost 10,000 by Friday.

Also, Colorado National Guardsmen who are rebuilding roads and bridges outside of Estes Park from the flooding were shifted over to the state payroll[3] so they could continue to work.

These absences were ordered despite a law passed last weekend guaranteeing work and pay for military active duty, civilian personnel and contractors in the event of a government shutdown.

Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet also pressured[4] Hagel Friday, signing onto a letter with half the U.S. Senate insisting the service men and women go back to work.

Coffman said in an e-mail Saturday it was a shame it took five days after President Barack Obama signed into law the Pay Our Military Act for Hagel to interpret it correctly. Coffman was the original sponsor of the law.

“While I am pleased that the Defense Department has seemingly come to its senses and reversed course on these needless furloughs, it is a shame that it took five days,” he said.